Disability Support Assistant at Birmingham City University

The full-time starting salary is normally £28,287.00 per annum, with progression available in post to £32,006.00 per annum. Your salary will be pro-rated based on 22.2 working hours per week. 

Part-time, permanent position. 22.2 hours per week. 

Grade: C

The Student Inclusion Team provides advice, information and support to disabled applicants and students, and works with schools and professional services to provide an accessible and inclusive environment. Delivering high quality disability support to our students entails a substantial amount of administrative work. We are seeking a colleague to join our friendly and dedicated team who can bring excellent administrative skills to our disability support for students and applicants.

As one of six Disability Support Assistants, you will play a key role in ensuring the University meets its duties towards disabled students under the Equality Act 2010 and in helping the University drive up the numbers of disabled students accessing support. You will provide a wide range of administrative support to the Student Inclusion Team in the maintenance of client records and funding details, monitoring the team’s busy inbox and actioning emails accordingly, corresponding with clients and preparing support documents, and assisting with the administration of the Personal Assistance Scheme. You will also provide initial and ongoing advice to disabled students and applicants enquiring about disability support and Disabled Students’ Allowance applications.

Your duties will include, but not be limited to the following: 

• Provide first line information and advice in response to queries from disabled enquirers, applicants and enrolled students, University staff, parents and external stakeholders, referring enquirers on to other members of the Student Services or wider SAAS team where required. This may include assisting students in emotional distress to access appropriate services. This will be via email, telephone and face-to-face (including student drop-ins).
• Monitor the main Disability Inbox (a key point of contact for students, applicants, parents, staff and external stakeholders) and action emails received as necessary and within the team’s response timeframe. 
• Creating and maintaining accurate, confidential chronological-ordered electronic student files, in accordance with data protection and confidentiality policies.
• Analysing students’ needs assessments and diagnostic reports to produce accurate Disability Support Summaries and Library Support Forms. 
• Liaising with our partners in the provision of the Personal Assistance Scheme and supporting preparation for the audit of the University’s Personal Assistance Scheme.
• Assist the Disability Support Team Leader in the allocation of Non-medical Help (NMH) via the PAS.
• Provide proactive support to the Disability Support Team Leader to facilitate timely completion of timesheets relating to personal support funding.
• Undertake finance processes related to the Personal Assistance Scheme including raising requisitions and working with the central finance teams to ensure relevant invoices are raised and that these are processed and distributed to the relevant funding bodies for payment. 
• Represent Student Services at a range of events across the University including student recruitment and applicant events, induction/transition and other events for enrolled students.

The successful candidate will have experience in customer-facing roles, and experience working in a busy office environment. You will be confident to communicate with students during situations of significant challenge, where interpersonal skills such as empathy and calmness are required. A good working understanding of confidentiality and data protection is essential for this role, along with proven experience of accurate record-keeping. A full person specification can be found in the job description below. 

The Student Inclusion Team sits within Student Services, working alongside the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team, the Money and Childcare Advice Team and Student Governance. We believe universal design benefits everyone – come and work in a friendly, supportive and professional team towards our vision of inclusion for all.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community, including disabled people and people who identify as LGBTQ+.

Please click the below link to download the Job Description:

Job Description

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to enter the LGPS scheme will be able to do so and will be employed by Birmingham City University directly.

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